Taylor, who now holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles at 135lbs, is one step away from her long-held goal of unifying the lightweight championship. Belgium’s Delfine Persoon, the former kickboxer who holds the WBC strap, is all that stands in her way. Says Taylor: “Now we can start talking about that fight, Persoon. That name’s been coming up over the last two years. I’ve got the three belts, she’s got the WBC belt, so we have to get that fight on next.”

When ask if she’d prefer Persoon over the prospect of moving up to 140lbs for a potentially more lucrative meet-in-the-middle showdown with Norway’s Cecilia Brækhus, the longtime undisputed champion at 147lbs regarded for much of the decade as the pound-for-pound world No 1, or a grudge match with the outspoken Puerto Rican six-division champion Amanda Serrano, Taylor is to the point: “My goal is to become the undisputed [lightweight] champion first and foremost. The fights with Amanda and Cecilia are a lot bigger when I have got the four belts. So that fight with Persoon is a fantastic chance. She’s been a long-reigning champion for many years. That’s going to be a fantastic fight.”

An excellent showing by Taylor, who landed 142 of 276 power shots (51%) compared to 78 of 308 for Volante (25%). “I thought it was a great performance,” Taylor says. “Rose Volante is a very tough opponent. I knew she was going to come here to fight. I think she got the best out of me here tonight. Tonight we’ve definitely seen a great showcase for women’s boxing.”

Taylor adds: “[Volante] definitely had a bit of pop at the end of her punch, but I have a great chin and I can stand there and trade punches with anyone. I also have the power to hurt those girls.”

Katie Taylor wins by ninth-round TKO!

Round 9

Taylor continues to pour on the punishment into the ninth. A big gash has opened up over Volante’s nose which appears to have been the result of a clash of heads. That’s bleeding badly. Broken for sure. Referee Benjy Esteves takes a close look and immediately stops the fight! Volante feels hard done and understandably for the fight to end on head butt ... but it’s the correct result.

Taylor opens up to start the eighth, battering Volante upstairs as the crowd comes alive. But Volante stands in and looks to trade! Volante eats an overhand right, then a blinding six-punch combination upstairs. Volante earning every penny of her $150,000 purse tonight. Hard to imagine Taylor wouldn’t have earned the stoppage if these rounds were two minutes instead of three (like they should be).

Taylor buzzes Volante with a shot upstairs early in the round and now a trickle of blood is showing from the Brazilian’s nose. More pinpoint combinations from Taylor through the guard of Volante, who is simply in survival mode at this point. This is a masterclass from the 2012 Olympic gold medalist.

Taylor pouring it on here in the fifth, putting together combinations to the head and body. And Taylor hurts Volante badly with a punishing left hook the body! Volante is hurt. It’s all Katie Taylor now as Volante is breathing through her mouth and her movements appear labored. Taylor landed 28 punches in that round. Not sure how much more punishment Volante can take.

More of the same from Taylor, who is getting back to the jab and scoring nicely with it. Volante bleeding from the left side of her head near the temple. It’s unclear whether it was from a head butt or a punch. Volante no match for Taylor’s speed.

Beautiful in-out movement from Taylor, who is landing punches to the head and body and escaping the pocket well ahead of Volante’s responses. Taylor landing with blinding speed and it seems that she’s already stopped Volante from coming forward: the Brazilian is now moored to the center of the ring content to let Taylor come to her. But it’s not a winning strategy.

Taylor measuring beautifully and keeping Volante on the end of her jab. Volante still trying to close distance and fight on the inside, but Taylor’s advantage in hand speed is showing itself. Volante’s face starting to get marked up after just a pair of two-minute rounds. Taylor is the busier and more accurate fighter.

Volante down in round one!

Round 1

Volante springs from her corner at the opening bell, fast and aggressive. Taylor fighting off the back foot but landing punches moving backwards as Volante comes rushing in with the right hand. And Taylor catches Volante on the way in with a compact right hook to the chin and sends the Brazilian to the canvas! Volante beats the count. Taylor rocks Volante at the end of the round just before the bell.

The fighters are making their entrances. First it’s Volante, the São Paulo native who operates mostly out of Brazil and is a bit of a unknown. She’s ended three of her last four fights inside the distance.

And now it’s Taylor, who enters to James Brown’s It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World and U2’s Vertigo.

The fighters are in the ring. Michael Buffer is making the announcements. We should be under way any moment now.

We last saw Taylor on the undercard of the December fight between Canelo Álvarez and Rocky Fielding. The Bray fighter won every minute of every round against Finland’s Eva Wahlström, who was moving up from 130lbs to challenge for Taylor’s titles.

Katie Taylor lights up New York and Eva Wahlström in lightweight title defense

Hello and welcome to North Philadelphia for tonight’s lightweight title unification fight between Katie Taylor and Rose Volante. Taylor, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist who holds the WBA and IBF championships at 135lbs, is looking to take another step toward her ultimate goal of unifying the four belts against Volante, the unbeaten Brazilian who’s held the WBO strap since 2017.